Arm-rest.



No. 653,258. Patented July I0, 1900. E. s. MAY.-

ARM RESTW.

(Applicationwfiled Jim. 30, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Nl'TED STATES PATENT Trice,

FDVVARD S. MAY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

ARM-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 653,258, dated July 10, 1900.

- Application filed January 30, 190( Serial No. 8,379. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. MAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at ashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arm-Rests; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a pad to serve as a sliding rest for the forearm while writing, and, second, to so construct the pad that being pulled apart there will result a bandage for use in emergencies. In taking position of hand and pen for writing the muscular rest of the forearm on the largest part below the elbow and the sliding rest of the hand upon the tips of the last two fingers in theory leaves the wrist elevated and leveled above the paper; but commonly in practice the wrist drops to the desk and the whole hand rolls to the right, resting upon the sides of the wrist and fourth finger.

My invention provides a third rest, at the wrist, so as to give free action to the hand and relieve the fingers and wrist from their crampedpositions. Improvementinthehandwriting results from this better control of the pen, the slant and pen-pressure are more uniform, and writers can accomplish more with greater ease. The sliding arm-rest may be worn by the beginner in writing, the occasional writer, the weak, and the aged writer; also, by those who use small instruments of precision. It is designed to be worn loosely under the carpal end of the forearm, secured about the wrist by a strap, raising the wrist a distance approximating the diameter of the first phalanx of the fourth finger. It is so constructed that it may be pulled apart at the eyelets by using a little force, and the band so freed, with a compress and a stick for twisting, may form a tourniquet to stop the loss of blood or a ready bandage 7r; two feet in length, more or less, for wounds, cuts, dislocations, fractures, &c.

The arm-rest is simple and inexpensive,

and the preferred method of manufacture is as follows:

Figure 1 is a side and top view, and Fig. 2 a side and bottom view, ofthe parts in position; and Fig. 3,a side-view of the eyelets and ring used in the fast-enings. Fig. 4 is a side view of the device, showing the same applied for use, the ring I) engaged with the hooks z' to secure the pad to the wrist, and the position of the pad relative to the finger-tips and upper forearm. 1

In Fig. 1, A is the pad or rest proper, in dimensions three and one-fourth by one and one-fourth by one-half inches, approximately, and is composed of, preferably, cotton-webbing a, coiled upon itself to form a soft firm yet flexible flattened oblong pad-to support the forearm and wrist, and beingalittle longer than the width of the average wrist in-use it follows the curve of the bones above the wrist-joint on either side, retaining its own thickness.

B, Fig. 1, is a strap which is carried over the right wrist and fastened on the thumb side by means of the ring I) to the hook 2' in the pad A, fitting only close enough to keep and carry the pad in position and permitting every motion of the wrist and fingers, the formation of the whole affording proper mobility without interfering with the circulation.

The pad A and the strap B are preferably formed of one continuous strip from the end 0 to the end d. The flattened coil or pad A is fastened by eyelets e e on the under orouter surface, Fig. 2, securing the end a and half the thickness of the pad A and incidentally securing one end of the strap B, the outer ends of the eyelets c c being sunken below the level of the surface of the material a to avoid possible contact with the writing-sheet. The coil is again secured at its outer end through half the thickness of the pad A by an eyelet f, Fig. 2, bearing a hookt' on its outer end. The end 01 of the strap B, Fig. 1, is folded upon itself and secured to the strap by an eyelet h, bearing a hook j on its inner end, and this hook being bent toward the eyelet forms an eye g, which securesa movable ring 6, Fig. 3. This ring 1), Fig. 1, in the strap B when brought across the pad A and made to engage with the hook '5 forms a detachable fastening. Ordinary rivets might be used and a simple button-and-buttonhole fastening instead of the ring and hook; but because of their simplicity and the ease with which they can be wrenched from the webbing by an injured person I have used eyelets. It will be noted that in the four varieties of fastenings but three different eyelets and a ring are used, Fig. 3, and this is accomplished by telescoping together at their small ends two eyelets of different diameters, inclosing the webbing between their rims and clenching together to form a single eyelet, as a, Fig. 2; that in the same manner, Fig. 3,0ne of the small eye1ets or half-eyelets in this sense-e e is telescoped with one of the eyelets bearing a hook t to form the eyeletsf h, and that, Figs. 1 and 3, the eyelets f h are alike except that in one, It, the hook j is bent downward with a portion of the ring I) inolosed in the eye 9 thus formed in the eyelet h.

It is evident that the thickness of the webbing a will somewhat determine "the length of the bandage 7c.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

As an article of manufacture the arm-rest A, B consisting of the pad A composed of a number of plies of fabric, eyelets e, e andf 30 for securing said plies together, the strap B having the eyelet h, the hooks i secured to eyelets f, 72 and ring I) to engage with the said hooks, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD S. MAY.

Witnesses:

JAMES F. SMITH, J AMES E. HARPER. 

